Unforseeable future
by angel of bad Faith
Summary: Harry recieves a mysterious letter calling him to Hogwarts...... it really is an unforseeable future for Harry at the moment..... this is a slah story!! be warned hp/ss
1. The Letter

Disclaimer: Unfortunately Harry Potter is not mine, if it was.. well lets say it wouldn't be a children's book!! But as its not I'm just playing with them! Pairings: HP/SS Rating: hopefully R!  
  
a/n -Hey everybody its back and re-done, and special thanks goes out to my beta reader Saturnine. She has done a great job with all the editing!!  
  
I would also like to thank all the great reviewers, you guys have been a great help!  
  
Thankz everybody for your support! *~Angelica~*  
  
Tap, tap, tap.  
  
//Go away!// He thought.  
  
Tap, tap, tap.  
  
Unable to hold on to sleep any longer, Harry woke to the incessant tapping noise. He rolled out of his bed, and stumbled blindly toward the window, catching his foot on the long black curtains that encompassed his bed. Sitting on the balcony was a large brown barn owl-the signature bird of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He sighed as he untied the letter that was undoubtedly from Dumbledore.  
  
//I Wonder what Albus is up to this time// Harry mused groggily. He put his fingers under the seal and broke it open.  
  
Harry,  
  
Your presence is required at Hogwarts immediately. It is of the utmost importance that you arrive promptly.  
  
AD  
  
Harry puzzled over the terse letter as he made his way over to the bathroom. He immerged half an hour later dressed and ready to go.  
  
Anyone who had known the -Boy-Who-Lived- when he went to school would scarcely recognize him as he stood now. The short unruly hair was now shoulder length, but no less wild. Gone were the unsightly black specs. In their place were magical contacts that never needed to be changed. The big, baggy, hand-me down were replaced with well fitting, high-class clothing, something that his 'relatives' were unwilling to provide for him.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Hogwarts  
  
Harry apparated at the gates of his former school, and began the long trek up to the school.  
  
When he rounded the corner of the hallway leading to Dumbledore's office, he saw his old headmaster waiting for him. A small smile lighted up the old man's face as he approached.  
  
"Harry, my boy, how are you?"  
  
"I'm well Professor. I came as soon as I read your letter. You made matters seem rather.urgent." Harry replied  
  
"If you will just follow me, I will explain everything in good time." With a swish of his robes, Dumbledore turned and walked down the corridor at a rapid pace.  
  
It took a few moments for Harry to gather his wits and follow the older man who had just disappeared around the corner.  
  
//I wonder what is going on. // Harry thought. //Usually Albus drops at least some kind of hint when he's being cryptic. He's almost.terse today. How very unlike him.//  
  
It was a few minutes later, deep within the labyrinth of passages under Hogwarts when Dumbledore abruptly stopped. Harry had no idea where they were any more. He watched as the older man turned towards him, noting that the usual twinkle in his eye had become considerably dimmer.  
  
"Harry what I am about to tell you as well as show you must be kept in absolute secrecy. No one must know any part of what I am about to tell you. A life depends upon the absolute secrecy of the proceedings during the next little while. And while all life is precious, this one happens to be very special to me."  
  
Harry's eyes widened at the gravity of the Headmaster's words. He paused for a moment to consider the weight of what he was about to agree to before he spoke. "Of course Albus you can count on me for anything."  
  
The twinkle in the older man's eyes seemed almost to return in full force. "I'm glad to hear it, my boy. Now if you'll just follow me." With that Dumbledore turned towards the stone wall, and pulled out his wand. He tapped upon a series of stones, chanting. Through the rapidly forming hole in the wall, Harry could see a long dark hall.  
  
"Come along Harry. We don't have much time before the gateway closes.' Dumbledore motioned to follow as he walked down the corridor. It was dark, but not entirely without light. The walls seemed to be glowing, a faint orange. Before Harry could ask where the light was coming from, Dumbledore stopped in front of a dark wooden door. 


	2. Im not a boy

The light beyond the door was blinding. It took Harry's eyes a few seconds to adjust to it. When his fuzzy vision was once again clear, he noted that the curious light was coming from two large windows across the room. Windows in the underbelly of a castle were rare, even in a place as enchanted as Hogwarts. He looked about, taking in the stone wall to his right, and a door to his left, which lay open to reveal a sizeable room beyond.  
  
It was a dark blue room, with furnished to match the mahogany paneling. There was an extensive collection of books on a shelf, a sofa, and two overstuffed chairs facing a fireplace.  
  
The Headmaster cleared his throat, jolting Harry out of his critical study of the room before him.  
  
"Sorry Sir." Harry turned his full attention to Dumbledore who was now greeting the room that appeared to be empty. It was no small surprise to the young man when the would-be empty room answered back in a familiar masculine voice.  
  
"Good morning, Albus. You're early today. Has there been trouble?" Harry traced the voice to one the chairs facing the fire.  
  
"None at all. I've come bearing good news. Come out so we can discuss the new arrangement." Albus replied cheerfully.  
  
"As you wish," Came the stiff reply, and the man stood, making his hooded figure visible above the back of the chair.  
  
"You know," Chuckled Dumbledore, "your identity will bring no danger at present. I believe the hood may be drawn."  
  
Harry suppressed a gasp as the figure lowered his hood. There stood Severus Snape, Harry's well known and most hated potions professor and all around greasy git, but not so at the same time. Gone was the greasy curtain of face-obscuring hair, replaced by what looked more like black silk, the infamous hooked nose was a little straighter, and typically sallow and sickly looking skin was now pale and milky. He looked ten years younger and nominally handsome.  
  
"I see, Mr. Potter has spent his time away mastering his pond life impersonations. Headmaster, perhaps you ought to inform him that his gaping fish face is neither becoming nor appreciated" Snape sneered.  
  
"Severus." The headmaster's tone was warning, "That is quite enough. I'm sure you'll find Harry far more accomplished than you give him credit for." Harry blushed at the Headmaster's praise.  
  
"Regardless, I have come here today to discuss something of great importance with you, and young Harry plays an integral part in the matter, so do play nice, Severus. Oh," He added as an afterthought. "You might want to sit down for this." Severus paled as he complied with the Headmaster. Whatever the news was, he wasn't going to like it.  
  
"As you both know the war is far from over. Though Voldemort is dead, his legacy lives on so long as his minions remain united. There are but a few remaining Death Eaters, but they are a force to be reckoned with, nonetheless. They are currently out for vengeance against the traitors that helped to bring down their master. Any known covert members of the Order are being tracked down and assassinated with the last of their strength. Several of our most valued spies have already been brutally murdered. We have taken steps towards eliminating the threat but they are both resourceful and well hidden. All attempts have been fruitless.  
  
"Unable to take any effective aggressive action, we have moved our efforts to defense. We have begun to hide our allies, helping those who need it the most. There have been several families concealed under secrecy charms already, including the Malfoys, the Parkinsons, and the Zabinis."  
  
'So why is Potter here, Albus?' Snape demanded. He had a fair idea of where this was going.  
  
"Patience in a virtue, Severus." The Headmaster replied. "You above all know that." He then looked pointedly at Harry. "Harry, I'm afraid I need to ask you a favour."  
  
"Anything, Sir." Harry said without hesitation.  
  
"Do not be too quick to reply. What I'm asking will require the utmost secrecy. I don't believe it is a task you will particularly enjoy, either."  
  
"if it will save a life, I will do whatever is necessary." Harry was resolute.  
  
"If that is your final decision my boy." Harry nodded, and Dumbledore's twinkling blue eyes took on a glint of pride.  
  
"What do you want, Albus?" Interrupted Snape, "You can't seriously want the boy to." Snape trailed off, looking as though the end of his sentence was a fate too horrible to utter aloud.  
  
Harry observed his former professor with confusion, until the Headmaster's implications sunk in. He paled drastically. "Oh no."  
  
"Ah, figured it out then?' Albus looked extremely pleased with himself.  
  
"Headmaster, please reconsider" Snape all but begged.  
  
"Severus, Harry will be able to protect you better than any one else I can think of. Sooner or later someone will track you down, and when that time comes, you need to be some place safe."  
  
"Severus?" Harry quietly inquired, barely audible to the angry man.  
  
Snape turned towards him, his black eyes glittering dangerously. "What is it, Potter!" He spat back acidly.  
  
"I meant what I said." He said, staring into the black depths. "If it means saving you," He faltered. "Saving a life, I will do it.at any cost." Severus scowled more deeply.  
  
"Don't you understand, boy?" He demanded with quiet venom. "I might be the end of you. If word gets out that you're harboring an ex-death eater spy, your as good as dead! Are you willing to put yourself in jeopardy? And the lived of those who are close to you?"  
  
Harry laughed. Any further words died on Snape's lips at the sound. It was harsh, bitter, and belonging nowhere near someone as young as Gryffindor's golden boy.  
  
"Gee, why didn't I think of that? Naturally, Death Eaters would not make any attempts on the life of the bane of their Dark Lord's existence if he wasn't harboring a spy. Of course, after Voldemort's repeated failures to take my life, and my eventual defeat of him, I've never been the target of vengeance-bent minions. Naturally, I know absolutely nothing about loved ones being ripped away from me in an attempt to drag me down. Do the names Lily and James Potter, Cedric Diggory, and Sirius Black mean anything to you, Snape?  
  
"I'm not a little boy. I've never had a real childhood, between Voldemort's murder attempts and my so called family I was never granted that gift of life. I didn't have time to be a child. I was the hero of the damned world. So don't you dare talk down to me now!" Harry paused to calm himself, breathing heavily. When he spoke again, it was quietly and mournfully. "If I can save just one life.then I-I.I just don't want to see anymore death that I might prevent. Even if it is your miserable life I'm saving."  
  
For once in his life, Severus Snape was rendered entirely speechless.  
  
"That settles things!" Albus reasserted his presence, clapping delightedly. "Severus my boy you have some packing to do. You have one hour." 


End file.
